DVD Review: Sean Connery Carries Out Operation Snafu In ON THE FIDDLE

On The Fiddle is a 1961 British comedy which is mainly notable for giving Sean Connery an early (co)starring role. The film sees Alfred Lynch star as a Horace Pope, a conman who unwittingly ends up in the RAF during WWII. Pope joins forces with Connery’s Pedlar Pascoe, a well meaning but dim-witted enlister who is eager to please. Pope takes Pacoe under his oily wing, and the pair begin to use their charms to make the war effort work for them, however things just don’t always go their way…

There’s not a lot in On The Fiddle (or Operation Snafu, as it was known in post-Bond USA) which you haven’t seen before. It’s an amiable comedy that has the same cheeky tone as a lot of British comedies from the time. That’s not to say it’s not bad, it’s just that there are no surprises. If you’re watching this in the 21st Century, then chances are it’s to see Sean Connery. The young Scot acquits himself well, but he hasn’t quite got the charisma that he gained from the role of James Bond. He turns in a decent performance as a gentle and dim-witted giant, but he isn’t given a lot to work worth, sidelined next to Lynch’s cheeky-chappy.

The Connery curiosity factor means that On The Fiddle is highly recommended for James Bond fans. Where else can you see a 31 year old (and surprisingly hirsute) Sean Connery?